OrthoNeuro Blog

A boxers fracture means you have broken the head of one of the metacarpal bones in your hand (usually on the pinky finger side). Metacarpal bones connect the bones in your finger to the bones in your wrist. You might hear your hand doctor refer to it as a brawler's fracture. This injury commonly occurs when the hand is in a fist and strikes a hard object such as a wall or another human.

Symptoms of a boxers fracture:

The patient will experience instant, severe pain in the hand at the time of injury with swelling developing soon after the injury, possibly followed by bruising or discoloration.

The outside edge of the hand where the fracture is will be particularly tender to touch

Moving the hand will be painful

The knuckle on the outside may appear dropped

If you sense that you have fractured your hand you should seek medical attention immediately. An x-ray may be used to confirm the diagnosis.

Treatment:

If the fracture is displaced (the bones are out of alignment), the physician may need to reduce the fracture (put the bone back in place)

Conservative treatment usually consists of a simple splint or short arm cast for 3-6 weeks - may require longer immobilization dependent on healing

Surgery is more rare but sometimes suggested depending on the severity of the fracture